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Disney's Reaction to Harry Potter Details?
- Thread starter rubysparky77
- Start date
Mouse Detective
Well-Known Member
Let's not forget Legoland opening in 2011 which will surely be part of the Orlando Flex Ticket. "Let's spend one day at Sea World, one day at Busch, one day at Legoland, one or two days at Universal......and just 2-3 Days at Disney. We can do Hollywood Studios some other time."
Javier Boughton
New Member
this kind of post always assume that people only go to Disneyworld. but i believe that this is not the case.
i cant believe that people only go to Disney, and just Disney or only universal and only universal. its a very big investment to go to orlando and miss on what orlando has to offer.
i mean, i love Disney, the theme, the rides, the history, etc...but, universal has great rides also...that Disney doesn't (mummy, hulk, spiderman, and now harry potter)
we've been to orlando a lot, and have always reserved days to go to universal.
our next trip is in september, and im purchasing 7 day tickets to disney, but im also reserving days to go to universal. (at least 1 day per park)...
Both have a lot to offer, and i believe we need to see both sides of the coin to really size up one to another.
i cant believe that people only go to Disney, and just Disney or only universal and only universal. its a very big investment to go to orlando and miss on what orlando has to offer.
i mean, i love Disney, the theme, the rides, the history, etc...but, universal has great rides also...that Disney doesn't (mummy, hulk, spiderman, and now harry potter)
we've been to orlando a lot, and have always reserved days to go to universal.
our next trip is in september, and im purchasing 7 day tickets to disney, but im also reserving days to go to universal. (at least 1 day per park)...
Both have a lot to offer, and i believe we need to see both sides of the coin to really size up one to another.
_Scar
Active Member
Snow seems to work just fine at Blizzard Beach. It just takes some imagintion. :animwink:
I've been on Jaws yearly for a few years now and it has worked every single time. And shuttered restaurants? For hurricanes?
The only thing that may save them is word that the HP contract is airtight and very harsh. If JK Rowling is ever displeased--and she has a record of fiercely protecting her creation--she can make things very difficult for Uni.
Characters go into outside lines? Huh?
Characters meet and greet on Marvel Island, Suess Island, Toon Lagoon, Woody Woodpecker area, Hollywood Area, Jimmy Neutron area, Shrek area, Mummy area....
Yes, they do have walkaround characters.
Skip
Well-Known Member
I'm going to randomly respond to a few of the issues that have been raised late into the thread.
Snow theming... as someone else said, it's been done before (quite effectively) with Blizzard Beach. Having firsthand seen the snow-topped roofs from the park, they sparkle in the sunlight which games them a very vibrant look... I think it'll work out quite well. I heard the actual snowfall effects were canned (probably a good idea logistically).
JAWS... the "wall of fire" was turned off to save fuel, except during very busy times, and it ALWAYS appears at night. The skipper's spiel was altered for when it is not running, and the full gas station explosions still occur and are extremely impressive.
Shuttered restaurants... Whoever said this is spot on, Universal does this far too often. Captain America Diner, Kathy's Ice Cream, Wimpy's, Thunder Falls Terrace, Pizza Predatoria, and Green Eggs & Ham are closed WAY too often... the latter hasn't opened in literally over 5 years if I'm not mistaken! It's bad show to have all of these facilities (many of which are right along the main pathway) shuttered for 70-100% of the time. Hopefully with the larger crowd projections coming, these facilities will reopen, and STAY open after the crowds recede a bit.
Walkaround characters... I'm going to go out on a limb and say this is both a good and bad move. The film characters should not be walk around. They're far too recognizable since they are from 6+ live action films and are extremely recognizable, facial feature wise... Disney gets away with their face characters more, I think, because the princes/princesses were animated. An attempt to recreate the film characters via British actors (even if they did have similar voices) would've likely failed. That said... I think more generic denizens of Hogsmeade could and should be attempted. Have characters that were only mentioned in the book but never seen in the films (various shopkeepers) or even just generic wizards and witches who can mingle with tourists... there could be streetmosphere, similar to Hollywood Studios... that type of thing.
Shop size I feel will be fine. They seem to have adequate size and I think we're overestimating how many people are gonna be packing these things...
...that is with the exception of Ollivander's. I've heard the show elements of this shop is going to be very low... this worries me. And we haven't even learned what the wands will DO (is the interactive feature happening, or not?) I get the sinking feeling that if capacity proves to be far too low for the demand, it might switch to a simple wand replica shop, and that'd really stink.
I really do hope Universal's contract with Rowling is extremely airtight and quality-maintaining. I want to see this area maintained to its opening day quality - as other poster's have noted, Universal HAS slacked off before (Dudley Do Right, Poseidon's Fury, Jurassic Park).
Snow theming... as someone else said, it's been done before (quite effectively) with Blizzard Beach. Having firsthand seen the snow-topped roofs from the park, they sparkle in the sunlight which games them a very vibrant look... I think it'll work out quite well. I heard the actual snowfall effects were canned (probably a good idea logistically).
JAWS... the "wall of fire" was turned off to save fuel, except during very busy times, and it ALWAYS appears at night. The skipper's spiel was altered for when it is not running, and the full gas station explosions still occur and are extremely impressive.
Shuttered restaurants... Whoever said this is spot on, Universal does this far too often. Captain America Diner, Kathy's Ice Cream, Wimpy's, Thunder Falls Terrace, Pizza Predatoria, and Green Eggs & Ham are closed WAY too often... the latter hasn't opened in literally over 5 years if I'm not mistaken! It's bad show to have all of these facilities (many of which are right along the main pathway) shuttered for 70-100% of the time. Hopefully with the larger crowd projections coming, these facilities will reopen, and STAY open after the crowds recede a bit.
Walkaround characters... I'm going to go out on a limb and say this is both a good and bad move. The film characters should not be walk around. They're far too recognizable since they are from 6+ live action films and are extremely recognizable, facial feature wise... Disney gets away with their face characters more, I think, because the princes/princesses were animated. An attempt to recreate the film characters via British actors (even if they did have similar voices) would've likely failed. That said... I think more generic denizens of Hogsmeade could and should be attempted. Have characters that were only mentioned in the book but never seen in the films (various shopkeepers) or even just generic wizards and witches who can mingle with tourists... there could be streetmosphere, similar to Hollywood Studios... that type of thing.
Shop size I feel will be fine. They seem to have adequate size and I think we're overestimating how many people are gonna be packing these things...
...that is with the exception of Ollivander's. I've heard the show elements of this shop is going to be very low... this worries me. And we haven't even learned what the wands will DO (is the interactive feature happening, or not?) I get the sinking feeling that if capacity proves to be far too low for the demand, it might switch to a simple wand replica shop, and that'd really stink.
I really do hope Universal's contract with Rowling is extremely airtight and quality-maintaining. I want to see this area maintained to its opening day quality - as other poster's have noted, Universal HAS slacked off before (Dudley Do Right, Poseidon's Fury, Jurassic Park).
Enchantâmes
Active Member
It will be fun to see how this all plays out in the next few years! 
I`ve said it before - Universal has had for a few years an active program of reporting any broken effects to have them fixed as soon as possible, normally 3rd shift that night, and it works. Smoke and fire effects were moderated during the recesion to save money, but even then a plan was made to present some effects in all the rides, not just turn everything off. Example; MIBs smoke tunnel was switched off, but a smoke wall replaced it. Last September Jaws was running perfectly. Their visual effects record is now one of the best.
_Scar
Active Member
Actually, I read someone on one of these Potter tracker websites that the shop is supposed to be small, but realistic to the book/movie. It also features wands of all types and I think a sorting hat element.
DizneePhan14
New Member
I think its hilarious that people think that Disney is suddenly gonna drop in attendance because of HP. People will add a day at most this summer to go see it and thats it, nobody is gonna continue to add a day each vacation they take to just see HP. Disney will always be the best without a doubt
Pumbas Nakasak
Heading for the great escape.
Yep, thats what Ive done for the last three years
RSoxNo1
Well-Known Member
Yes, I think what's likely going to happen is that a 7 day vacation that was once 6 days at Disney, 1 day at Universal will not be 5 days at Disney 2 days at Universal.
This is my hope, and this is my plan on an upcoming trip. Normally for a week's vacation we would spend 1 day at Universal or Sea World. If it was a smaller group we could usually hit the highlights of both Universal parks in one day, and we would still wind up at a Disney park that night, so technically they would get our park admission for that day, and it may not visually affect their attendance.
However, what I think may be happening is that the cost of going to Universal and going to Disney in the same vacation, probably cuts into the merchandise that people were buying when they were just going to Disney.
This is my hope, and this is my plan on an upcoming trip. Normally for a week's vacation we would spend 1 day at Universal or Sea World. If it was a smaller group we could usually hit the highlights of both Universal parks in one day, and we would still wind up at a Disney park that night, so technically they would get our park admission for that day, and it may not visually affect their attendance.
However, what I think may be happening is that the cost of going to Universal and going to Disney in the same vacation, probably cuts into the merchandise that people were buying when they were just going to Disney.
71jason
Well-Known Member
Getting off topic here, but...
How often is the park even open after dark, tho, outside Christmas and Halloween? So 90% of the time, turned off (like the water vortex in Posidon). And while the gas station explosions off to the side are impressive, that's not where guests' attention is focused--the ride is a show, and your attention is focused straight ahead. And the spiel sounds the same to me, admittedly I don't know it verbatim, and they still play the "Miami Vice"-like chase music. It feels like something more should be happening. It's the same as switching out an animatronic Yeti for a strobe light, it just feels off.
I hope the same thing--but the point was to illustrate Universal's history, not it's potential future. Minor savings trump show.
Three words: Captain Jack Sparrow. Although I think your idea of generic "Citizens of Hogsmeade" would work well too.
I also think you will have people going off of Disney property for the first time (to see HP) and then saying to themselves "Hey, I kind of like it here, why haven’t we come here before?”. Remember, for many of these people Universal (and especially IoA) will be brand new and there is no reason to think they wouldn’t be interested in returning for a future visit (why some people here seem to think that people will ride HP once and say ‘been there, done that’ I don’t get...Disney’s parks are not the only ones which warrant repeat visits). I think Universal’s recent move to put both parks on the same guidemap is an excellent idea- it should really enlighten all guests as to all that Universal offers and guests who visit and are impressed with IoA may also decide to spend a day at the Studios park. Many average WDW visitors have no idea what lies outside the gates of WDW and many of them are about to find out. That is what should scare Disney.
Pumbas Nakasak
Heading for the great escape.
A current policy of Disney world and has been since 2002, shirley?
Computer Magic
Well-Known Member
Universal would be smart to offer a round trip bus to and from the Disney resorts. That would really put a dagger into Disney. A universal shuttle driving up to the resorts and people getting on.
Mouse Detective
Well-Known Member
Universal is open until 8pm tonight and to 10pm throughout the summer.
I don't think Disney has any interest in allowing that. WDW is private property and it would not be in their best interest to allow a competitor to so easily reach their customers. Mears does have a transportation contract with Disney and offers service to Universal via reservations but that's as far as that will go.
Yep, that is basically what we are going to do. Normally we stay on site and get a six day ticket to WDW. This year we want to hit Discovery cove, and when the kids heard about HP they were all over it. That led to the decision not to stay in the park, which led to us looking around Orlando a bit more for other things we wanted to check out. What was going to be six days in the parks and a hotel at WDW is a stay at the Omni resort for a fraction of the price and one day in AK. The kids looked on-line and saw that really nothing has been added at WDW since they were there two years ago so they were not all that interested in going back WDW this year. They want to check out other things. I'm with them.